Mannerheim

To continue with the theme of Scandinavian wartime leaders I would like to introduce you to another strapping young chap called Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerhiem. He was Commander in Chief of the Finish army and their President between 1944 and 1946. An (in)famous character and national Finnish hero he led his country to victory against the might of the Soviet Union, not just once, but twice in two separate wars (or one large one according to taste), the Winter War (39 – 40) and the Continuation War (41 – 44).

Mannerheim was born into the aristocracy and, since Finland was still a province of Tsarist Russia he began his military career with the Russian Army serving in the Russo-Japanese war, World War I, the Finish Civil War and then finally in the war against the Soviets during World War II. During which time he secured many decorations, including the Cross of St. George, the highest order in the Imperial Russian Army. So a busy and bloodied feller.

Yet Mannerheim, like most successful characters, was still able to take time out to pursue other interests. He had a passion for anthropology and went on several expeditions into China as well as working hard for the Finish Red Cross and establishing his own Children’s Foundation.

After the Civil War in which, unlike in Russia, the ‘white’ forces won the day -Mannerheim played a major role in Finland’s new government and managed to secure official recognition from Britain and the USA (admittedly this can’t have been hard given Finland’s strategic position in relation to the newly formed Bolshevik government in Moscow).

The war shaped Finland’s immediate future in two ways. It soured relations with the Soviet Union almost from the word go and it also linked Finland to Germany since it assisted the ‘whites’ against the soviet backed ‘reds’. So it was that in November 1939 the Red Army advanced across the Finish border for what was surely going to be an easy victory for Stalin. Yet Mannerheim organised a determined defence of his homeland and his small and lightly armed forces were able to exact large casualties on the advancing Red Army. The humiliation this caused - so rumour has it - gave Hitler the confidence later to believe he could defeat the Soviets in a matter of months. The whole world’s eyes were on Finland during this time because despite the invasion of Poland in 39 and the state of war between Germany and the Allies no real fighting had yet taken place between the great powers and they were both still engaged in a period of ‘phoney war’. Eventually the Allies became concerned over the repercussions that a Soviet controlled Finland might entail and hinted strongly that they might join the war on Finland’s side.

Thankfully, the Soviets did not fancy facing the Allies in Finland so hurriedly arranged a cease fire, which was to last up until Operation Barbarossa and the opening of hostilities between the Nazi’s and Soviets – with Mannerheim and the Fin’s fighting on Hitler’s side. Mannerheim’s position was desperate and Finland at the time had very little choice but to fight with the Nazi’s against the invading Soviets, yet Mannerheim, aware of the nature of Hitler’s regime always took time out to make it clear that while Germany and Finland were fighting the same enemy, that was as far as their co-operation went and never did Finland ally itself with the Nazi regime or embrace any of its doctrines. This obviously made Mannerheim something of a hero in post war Europe, being viewed as a heroic defeater or the Soviets, and not as a Nazi collaborator. Luckily for him.

The 4^th June is a national flag day in Finland in recognition of Mannerheim’s contribution to Finnish independence.